Apple I to be auctioned Oct. 9, may go for $127,000

The Apple I that will be auctioned in October is from the estate of Joe Copson,… (Christie's )

One of the original Apple I computers built by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak will be auctioned in London next month, fetching what Christie’s auction house said could be $79,000 to $127,000.

Jobs and Wozniak built only about 200 Apple I computers in 1976, selling them for $666.66 each. Only six are believed to be in working condition, and one of those sold for nearly $375,000 at auction in June.

Christie’s set the auction on the latest computer, which is non-working, for Oct. 9. It has a serial number of 22 and comes from the estate of a man named Joe Copson, who once worked for Apple.

In late 2010, Christie’s auctioned off another Apple I for more than $210,000.

The Apple I was the first computer sold with a preassembled motherboard, which was a big step forward. However, it did not include a keyboard, monitor, power supply or case.

"This is the computer that started Apple, now recognized as the most valuable company in the world; its significance in making computer technology accessible for all cannot be undervalued," said Christie’s scientific specialist James Hyslop.